Accidental Relationships
by cleverhead
Summary: Juvia Lockser was not supposed to meet Gray Surge. And yet here he is, stuck in her world for whatever silly reason fate subjected him to. Juvia needs to help him find his way back home, but it's not that simple. Nothing ever is. Please don't misunderstand, Gray-sama! (REPLACEMENT FOR ANOTHER WORLD)
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hey guys! Here's the new story that will replace Another World! It's a little bit different because Edolas Gray is COMING to Juvia instead of the other way around. But it'll still keep the angsty elements I had in AW. **

**Please enjoy!**

**/**

_**Setting: Edolas**_

'_Just leave me alone for once!'_

Her words ricochet between every corner of his skull ever since she screamed them at him an hour ago. The sentence taunted him, and from it came a headache to accompany the already growing ache in his chest.

He obeyed her wishes, as the ever-loyal admirer he was, and left the guild to find a place where she wasn't though.

But that was hard for Gray Surge because everywhere he went, an image of her followed, teasing his fantasies evermore. Even when she was mad at him, she was all he could think about. He just wished it were the same for her. He had wished that for a long time.

For the past two years, Gray Surge has tried to woo Juvia with every fiber of his being. And despite not getting very far, he can confidently say that they are, at the very least, friends. They had their own quiet, special moments (albeit very few and far in between) and she confided in him a few secrets over the years as he did too. At the end of the day, he knew that she trusted him, even if just a little bit. And that thought alone, warmed his heart.

However, today he feels he wasn't that much of a good friend.

Juvia had just gotten back from visiting her family who lived all the way on the other side of Edolas. She didn't usually go visit them, saying things like 'how annoying they are' and that 'they talk too much'. But Gray guesses that this year was an exception. She was gone for two weeks and to be quite frank, those two weeks felt like two years to Gray. The one thing on his mind was holding her close the moment she stepped into the guildhall.

And when she finally did, Gray Surge was up and out of his seat in the blink of an eye. She looked exhausted, and perhaps he should've taken note of that, but he was determined to show her how much he missed her.

"I've missed you, Juvia-chan!" His voice sang, arms wrapping around the surprised woman's waist. "It's been too long…"

Juvia mumbled. "It hasn't been long enough…" She groaned. "Please get off me, I'm so tired from traveling."

Gray, being the ever so loyal friend, released her immediately but maintained the beaming smile on his face. "Let's get a drink! Tell me all about your trip!"

"I'd rather not." She replied coldly with a grimace, something clearly on her mind by the way her brows furrowed and lips twitched. "My parents are so bothersome."

She moved to sit at one of the tables, waving her hello's to her other guild mates in the process. Gray was quick to sit by her side.

Gray linked his arm with hers and hummed happily. "Vent to me." He encouraged.

Juvia sighed heavily, not bothering to remove the clingy man from her arm. She was way too exhausted. It wasn't because he was comforting or whatever.

"I don't want to bother you."

"Nothing Juvia-chan does could ever bother me!" His words were dripping with honey but they made Juvia feel bitter.

She scowled at him, the weight of his body on hers becoming more sickening by the minute. "You don't know what you're talking about…"

"Oh? But I know you so well! I love everything about you." He replied whole-heartedly, tugging on her arm to make her look at him. "Don't you feel the same?"

His words seemed to trigger something within her because her gaze spaced out for a moment only to return seconds later with an annoyed expression in it's place.

"You're so persistent." She finally yanked her arm from his grasp. "You claim to love me, to know me… but that's not true..." Her words trailed off, Juvia becoming highly aware of the nosy listeners leaning into their conversation. "No one knows me."

Gray, sad that his love was no longer in his arms, studied her expression closely and wondered how she could believe that. "If I don't know you, then who does?"

"Apparently no one…" She whispered to mostly herself, but Gray caught it. The sadness in her voice was also apparent, and surprised him. Sadness was an unusual emotion for the bluenette. It alarmed him.

She was about to rush off to find a place to be alone, but Gray snatched her hand hurriedly. "What's bothering you? Let me help."

Juvia snickered. "Let me go. You can help me by leaving me alone." She tried yanking her hand back but Gray tightened his grip.

"You always try to fix things by yourself but you don't have to be alone!" Uncharacteristically, Gray called her out. It surprised not only Juvia, but the rest of the guild hall that couldn't help but tune in. "I haven't seen you in two weeks, let me be there for you!" He begged. He couldn't bear to see her go through problems by herself, especially when he didn't know what was wrong.

For a moment, it looked like she was about to give in. There was a brief softness in her eyes as she looked down at the man who adored her. But in the blink of an eye, the love in his eyes triggered annoyance within her. _What did he know about love?_

"_Just leave me alone for once."_ Her voice was stone cold as she glared down at him. She knew how cold she was being, but she was too angry to care. He would get over her rejection soon enough, like he did all the others anyways. She had one goal at the moment, and that was to isolate herself.

Despite loving her deeply, Gray released her. He might say that it's because he loved her that he let go because clearly, his presence was only making things worse…

Fast forward about an hour later and he's wandering through the woods behind the guild, asking himself if he'd ever be able to get through to his beloved. He loved how independent she was, how brave she could be, but if he were to be honest with himself, it concerned him how much she preferred to sulk alone. Negative thoughts were never good company, especially when facing them alone.

'_Why won't you let me help you?' _

Gray was kicking rocks aimlessly when the sound of a branch snapping caught his attention.

"W-who's there?" His imagination got to him and made him think about the terrible possibilities. Was it a territorial creature? An enemy?

Gray breathed out a sigh of relief at the sight of spiky pink hair and goggles.

"You scared me…"

Natsu chuckled. "Sorry about that, I came looking for you after I saw what happened with you and Juvia. You went pretty far." They both looked around at the dense forest and the darkening sky. "How are you feeling?"

Gray looked at his best friend with a sad smile. He wanted to divulge his troubles to him, tell him all about his concerns for the girl of his dreams, but it felt selfish of him to do so. Natsu had already come out all this way to find him, it seemed wrong to burden him any further.

"Not ready to talk, eh? That's okay. I can just be present with you instead. You don't have to tell me anything." Natsu reassured him, patting his best friend firmly on the back.

He always knew what to say. "Thank you." Gray replied earnestly. "I'll talk to you about it later, but for now… let's just walk."

So they did. They walked in silence amongst the chilly breeze in the lush forest, words not needed. When the full moon peaked through the leaves above Natsu's head, an idea came to mind.

"Want to see something?"

Gray gave him a curious look. "…Sure?"

Natsu laughed at his friend's awkwardness and told him to follow his lead. 

A few weeks ago, Lucy Ashley sent Natsu on a wild goose hunt for some seasonal berries that she liked that just so happened to grow in the deepest part of the woods. It was such an excruciating task really, considering how thick this part of the woods was and the fact that Natsu just really hated being in the dark by himself. But it wasn't all that bad, because he stumbled upon the most beautiful, secluded lake.

Natsu was leading his best friend there, hoping it would cheer him up. The sight definitely cheered him up when he stumbled upon it.

The lake was surrounded by a bunch of bright, nearly glowing, orange flowers that were scattered about the farther it went out so it was easy to spot.

"Where are we headed?" Gray inquired, his curiosity of their destination lightly overshadowing his hurt from earlier.

Natsu grinned back at him cheekily. "It's this cool lake I found, it's really pretty."

Gray wondered how a lake could help him feel better until Natsu pointed towards a small entrance that teased the view of an enchanting body of water.

Upon crossing through the narrow passage between two mossy rocks, Gray laid eyes on a lush opening that had a pristine, crystal blue lake glimmering in the light of the full moon. There were no trees in this tiny meadow so the night sky reflected perfectly on the clear water. It was like looking into another dimension.

It was ironic though, that as he is trying to cope with the hurt of not being able to be there for Juvia, he can't help but think about her even as he's in the presence of mother nature's beauty. The blue hue of the lake was eerily similar to his beloved's eyes, the eyes that stared him down so coldly just a little over an hour ago.

"Thank you for sharing this with me…" Gray forced a smile to his friend, hoping his gratitude was obvious, but his lingering pain was not.

Natsu had a smile on his face since thinking of bringing Gray here, but it fell the moment he saw the dullness in his friend's eyes. "Don't think you can trick me, Gray. I can tell you're still upset. You've got to let it go! She'll come around eventually, just give her space."

Gray pursed his lips as he tried to figure out how to explain his emotions. There were way too many all at once, every single one of them vying for his attention. One moment he was sad that he was rejected, the next he was worried that he made the wrong choice in leaving Juvia alone with her troubles. And for brief moments, insecurity about his role in her life would present itself. If he even had one.

"You don't understand," Gray chose to say. It was the easiest response he could come up with.

Natsu moved to the edge of the lake and plopped down tiredly. He sighed heavily as he looked up at the night sky exasperatedly. "I know I said that you didn't have to say anything." Natsu turned to look at his friend and gave him a serious look. "But I realized now that you're acting just like Juvia."

The weight of Natsu's words sunk in, and Gray frowned. He was right. He was being a hypocrite.

"I'm sorry, I just…"

Natsu held a hand up to stop him. "I get it, it's hard. I won't push you to talk now, but do know that I'll make you speak eventually. For now, I just want to make sure that you understand that I'm here for you whenever you need me. Even with-"

"Even with Lucy pregnant?" Gray finished his sentence and smirked at the sight of bright pink spreading across his friend's face. He sat beside him.

"Y-yeah." Natsu curled his arms under his knees and rested his chin atop them with a shy smile.

The whole guild was already aware of Natsu and Lucy's incoming child and had been for a month. The couple had only been an official pairing for a year and the pregnancy came as a surprise, but Lucy, being the forever vivacious women she was, accepted the challenge quite happily. Natsu was also excited, despite being very nervous and scared initially.

"Thanks." Gray smiled. "Really."

Natsu shrugged. "It's no problem. You're always there for me, so I'll always be there for you."

And as if Gray wasn't just rejected earlier that evening, a wide smile spread across his face, mirroring Natsu's. The pain from earlier was dampened by the feeling of gratitude for his best friend.

"Let's take a swim!" Gray suddenly beamed, remembering where they were. He wasn't usually one to do spontaneous activities, but he thought tonight could be an exception.

Natsu was caught by surprise, wondering how Gray could suggest taking a dip when he was covered in so many layers. Wouldn't it take a long time just to strip down into his underwear?

"Um, maybe tomorrow? It's getting kind of late." Natsu stated, looking up to see the full moon almost in the dead center of the sky. "It's almost midnight. I'm pretty sure Lucy would want me to driver her home soon." Natsu stood up and inched closer to the entrance they walked through about half an hour ago.

Gray sighed. His friend was right.

"Okay. Let's go then." Gray stood up and was about to follow him when he noticed his shoelace being undone. He tsked. "Go ahead, I'll be a minute."

"Alright, be quick! We don't need you getting eaten by a forest beast." Natsu teased.

Gray laughed as Natsu disappeared past the exit.

Gray went to tie his shoe and thought about what he would do if he saw Juvia when he returned. Would he continue giving her space? Or try his luck again? He honestly had no clue.

Realizing a few minutes had passed, Gray stood up quickly, not wanting to be too far behind Natsu.

Unfortunately, Gray lost his balance and fell backward into the lake with a big splash due to his hurried movements.

"Dang it!" Gray exclaimed, thoroughly soaked. The weight of his clothes made it hard for him to get out and he started to panic a little. "Oh no. Natsu!" He called out to his friend, hoping he wasn't too far gone.

Gray gasped and started struggling to get out of the water even more when he saw the blue liquid start to glow with a bright light. Something in the water changed because he suddenly felt heavier, it was as if something was pulling him down. He felt his hands begin to quake in fear and his breaths came out a little more labored as he tried to keep his mouth and nose above water.

"Natsu!" He tried again, but failed.

Gray was beginning to sink in the surprisingly deep lake and wondered why this had to happen to him. He started to imagine Natsu and how he would feel if he found his dead body in a place he brought him to. He pictured his darling Juvia, and how much he wanted to proclaim his love to her one last time. The last thing he thought of before everything went black were the harsh words she yelled at him that led him out of the guild in the first place.

_At the very least, he would leave her alone completely, once and for all._

**/**

**This took me about three days total to write. I already have an idea of what I want for the next chapter so hopefully I get it done soon. I have a doctor's appointment (I might need surgery) this week and I'm taking three summer courses so I need to finish those assignments this week before the weekend because I'm going on a weekend trip. Needless to say, this week is busy for me.**

**So, I plan on getting chapter 2 out by at least next weekend. Follow my twitter for updates, I post a lot about gruvia lol ( dokiwrites).**

**Please please please leave a review. I enjoy reading them so very much.**

**Have a great week guys!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, well, well. Would you look at who posted earlier than expected? **

**I know I said I'd hope to get it done by next weekend since I'm pretty busy this week, but somehow I managed to pump this out within two days! You can kind of tell though, seeing as how this chapter is a bit short.**

**Anyways, you'll get to see Earthland gruvia in this chapter and see how far they've progressed their relationship at this point in time (in regards to my fic of course, not in canon).**

**Also, thank you to the reviews. They motivated me greatly! You're all cool.**

**Enjoy!**

**/**

_**Setting: Earthland - Magnolia**_

Juvia Lockser was bored out of her mind.

It was a hot summer day and the guildhall was surprisingly peaceful. She could only assume it was because it was too hot for anyone to start a rowdy fight. Everyone was slumped over and groaning at how hot it was. Juvia could swear that pieces of her were evaporating each second.

She was seated at the bar by herself, trying to finish her third cup of iced sweet tea. It did little to ease her discomfort.

"Juvia wants to do something fun…" She sighed to no one in particular. She rested her chin in the palm of her hand that wasn't stirring her iced drink. Her eyes surveyed the guildhall in search of someone to talk to.

Gajeel and Levy were situated in a dark corner of the guildhall chatting quietly and happily.

Natsu and Lucy were recalling some supposedly hilarious memory, laughing about jovially in the center of the guildhall.

Erza was chatting with Cana at the other end of the bar about some S-Class mission she just returned from.

As for her beloved, well, he was sitting by his lonesome at a table by the entrance reading a magazine while drinking a mug of beer.

_Gray-sama looks just as bored as Juvia. _

An idea popped into her head that sent her rushing over to the job board in search of something him and her could do.

They hadn't gone on a mission together in a long while, considering the war just ended about a month ago. She missed going on simple, yet fun jobs with him. She would never tell this to Gajeel (although he probably already knew), but she thought of Gray as the perfect mission partner, and it was not just because she loved him deeply. His fighting style and magic were so compatible to hers that it made the success rate of jobs higher and the duration of jobs shorter.

She saw a simple job post that requested for someone to come and investigate a mysterious lake a fisherman found in the woods near the outskirts of a coastal town named Shio. The reward was high, but the task seemed simple enough for two mages and Shio was a reasonable distance away. They'd probably have to spend one night there, but that wasn't too bad. Plus, Juvia had been there a few times on past jobs and found the town quite cute. The weather there was always nice and breezy, not too cold or hot. There were also a lot of touristy things to do there, seeing as it was home to one of the largest ports in Fiore, although not as large as Hargeon. It was perfect.

She skipped over to her beloved with the job post in hand and a sweet smile on her face.

"Gray-sama looks really bored today, so is Juvia!" She exclaimed, sliding into the seat beside him.

Gray set down his magazine and turned to face his new company. She wasn't wearing her usual reserved outfit. Instead, she was dressed in a white, billowy summer dress that suited the weather.

"Is that so? You look pretty comfortable though, new dress?" He inquired, genuinely curious. She rarely switched her style.

Juvia nodded excitedly, happy that he noticed. "Summer is here so Juvia must dress accordingly."

Gray smiled at her and asked how her day has been. She only spoke to him once today, and that was to greet him. Unlike how she was before the war, Juvia doesn't follow him around as much. He had yet to proclaim his answer to her and Juvia assumed that it was because he needed time and space to prepare himself. However, in his eyes, it seemed as though Juvia was just getting used to him and didn't feel the need to overreact anymore. Which was fine, he supposed.

Juvia was willing to do anything to give him the confidence he needed to settle on his answer, which included putting some distance between them for the time being. She knew it'd be worth it in the end, at least she hoped so.

But today, she wanted to divulge in her desires just this once by inviting him on a mission. A girl in love could only handle so much time apart!

"Juvia has just been thinking about taking a mission, actually! Maybe Gray-sama would like to join her?" She smiled, passing him the job post.

The job she selected seemed interesting to Gray, but the thought of taking an overnight job alone with Juvia made him queasy. He still hadn't come to terms with how he wanted them to progress. He wasn't sure if he wanted to put a label on them or not. All he knew was that she was way more than a friend to him, so much more. She was his go-to confidant, his go-to partner, and most importantly, his go-to topic of his daydreams. But what was it exactly that he wanted? That _she _needed?

He felt as though joining her on this job would make her anticipate his answer even more, and despite telling her he'd give her one after the war, he was nowhere near ready. He had so much to consider, especially all that they had gone through together in their encounter with Invel.

Plus, if Gray allowed himself that much alone time with her in such a pretty place, he doesn't think he'd be able to hold himself back. A part of him wished he could be as bold with his feelings as she was, worried that if he made her wait too long, she'd get sick of him. That's the last thing he wants.

He looked up at her, prepared to disappoint her, but her hopeful gaze made it _so hard. _

"I… I don't think I can." He forced himself to say, watching as her face fell. He wanted to punch himself in the face for being the reason for her expression. Gray tried to make her feel better. "It's not that I don't want to… It's just…."

Juvia watched him curiously as his eyes roamed over the guildhall while he tried to find the words to say. Was he just making up excuses to not hang out with her? She frowned at the thought.

Gray's eyes landed on Erza and he suddenly remembered that him and his team were going on a week-long mission within a few days. He couldn't join Juvia, even if he wanted to.

"I'm going on a week-long mission with my team in a few days. I need to rest up." He replied, not lying necessarily. This didn't change the fact that he still felt guilty though.

He knew Juvia just wanted some quality time with him, especially since they hadn't gotten virtually any since the war ended. This was the first time in awhile that they have gotten to take a moment to actually converse with each other. Gray wanted to tell her that he'd like to spend some time together soon, but the words were stuck on his tongue, weighed down by his nerves and insecurities. He cursed himself silently for being so cowardly.

A look of disappointment flashed across Juvia's lovely face but was gone before Gray could call her out for it.

"Juvia understands. She'll miss Gray-sama while he's gone." She admitted truthfully, but surprising no one. Her smile was small, but sad. "Juvia will just go alone." It wouldn't be as fun without her beloved accompanying her, but at least she'll get to kill some of her boredom.

"Be safe, okay?" The words fell immediately passed his lips as if it were second nature.

The abruptness of his request took Juvia by surprise, but it made her happy that he cared for her nonetheless. She nodded as she stood, giving him a smile as sweet as honey. She didn't miss the light blush on his face as he averted his eyes. _How could he be so cute?_

"Only if Gray-sama promises to be safe on his!" She teased, silently telling herself that she'd be safe anyways.

Gray smiled back. It was nice that after all they had gone through, they were able to joke around with each other like this. His heart swelled. He got up out of his seat and faced the water mage with a playful look in his eyes as he uncharacteristically held out his hand to her.

Juvia was about to question him when he said, "Deal."

Understanding his action, she laughed and shook his hand. "Deal! Juvia will come back to Gray-sama in one piece!"

Gray grinned down at her, not failing to revel in the softness of her hand. It was warm, a complete contrast to how cold she felt cradled in his arms after the incident with Invel. He wondered if he'd ever get over that horrific experience.

Realizing he was still clutching her hand, he quickly pulled back with an awkward laugh, thankful that no one was watching them.

"You should probably get going soon before it gets dark." Gray commented, trying his best to suppress the heat in his cheeks.

Juvia was just as flushed but managed to reply. "Juvia will take Gray-sama's advice and leave soon." She debated on hugging him goodbye or not but eventually settled on the latter. She didn't want to embarrass him any further, he'd probably end up with a face redder than Erza's hair if she did!

Gray on the other hand, expected her to lurch at him and embrace him in a deathly grip. Surprised, and quite frankly disappointed, he just offered her an awkward pat on the head and a casual 'good luck'.

She gave him one last gentle smile before turning around and letting Mira know about the job she was taking.

Gray watched the back of her head as she walked away, praying to whatever deity that was listening that Juvia came back to him safe and sound. He also prayed that he'd figure out his answer for her soon. She has already waited for him longer than he felt he deserved.

**/**

**So Juvia is giving him space for him to formulate his answer and come to terms with his feelings….**

**And Gray is having inner conflict with what he wants versus what he thinks Juvia deserves…..**

**Whew.**

**I hope this chapter wasn't too confusing? I feel like it was. I'm too lazy to read it over again o-o.**

**Juvia will arrive in Shio and start her investigation of the mysterious lake in the next chapter! **

**I'm sure you guys can predict what'll happen lol**

**I will get the next chapter out within a week hopefully!**

**As always, reviews are always appreciated**_** and **_**read!**

**Have a great day guys!**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hey guys, sorry for the loooong delay. I'll get more into it at the end. So for now, please enjoy this extra long chapter ;) y'all deserve it for waiting so long.**_

_**A lot happens in this chapter that is important for the future of the story.**_

_**/**_

_**Setting: Earthland**_

Juvia took her time to look over the job post once more before she arrived in Shio. Apparently, there was a train ahead of hers that was experiencing some malfunctions so her arrival was delayed.

_Looking for mage(s) to investigate a mysterious lake in the eastern woods of Shio!_

_Danger: Unknown_

_Joy Evers, a fisherman who has lived in the eastern woods of Shio for the past ten years, claims to have never seen this lake before. She claims that it magically appeared around two weeks ago. The lake is roughly the size of 5 mage cars, oddly large for a lake that appears to have just been created._

_Fisherman Joy tried fishing there only once but immediately sensed something off when there was no form of life in or near the lake. She fled immediately._

_Objective: Find out if the lake is safe._

_Location: Eastern woods of Shio, half a mile north of the bait shop on Scallops Ave. Check in at the bait shop first._

_Details: Food and Shelter provided at Ms. Evers' cabin._

_Reward: 50,000 jewel_

Juvia found herself pouting as she read over it again. It appeared as though the fisherman was just scared of a potentially, and quite possibly, nonexistent threat. Juvia wondered how the lake could scare a person so badly that they called in mages. The water mage tried to suppress her judgment and chose to just accept the work. Jewels are jewels.

The lady was also offering up her cabin to for her to stay in, so she shouldn't really complain.

"Shio Station approaching!"

With that, Juvia prepared her things and watched as the station grew in size the closer she got. The beautiful town of Shio stood behind the station and the ocean sat just a few miles ahead of it. The water was a crystal blue and sparkled against the sunset as if it's surface was actually the sky.

Juvia's mind wandered to Gray and she selfishly wished that he didn't have a long mission to go to.

/

The town was lively yet relaxing, just as Juvia remembered. The architecture was old and unique, shades of brown, orange, and yellow decorating the place. It truly was a quaint city. She had been there enough times to know her way around the town and found the bait shop the job post was referring to.

It was an old, charming looking shop that looked like it had many stories to tell. The walls were lined with mismatch shelves stocked with various types of fishing gear. There were also floor-to-ceiling shelves neatly aligned throughout the shop. The most interesting part though in Juvia's opinion, were the framed photos of customers and fisherman that lined the back wall. Juvia smiled contently, looking for an employee to talk to as she weaved through the tight, small, yet cute shop.

Not more than a minute later, the voice of a young man called out to her.

"You must be the Fairy Tail mage!"

Juvia turned around to find a handsome young man with green eyes that held a look of surprise and brown, wavy hair. He wore a tattered apron with a fish logo on it.

At the sight of her, the employee's mouth fell open. His expression was easy for Juvia to read because it was one she had on whenever she saw her beloved. She smiled shyly before he could say anything.

"You're Juvia Lockser!" He gaped, rushing over to her to excitedly shake her hands. "I loved you in the Grand Magic Games a couple years back! You should've won the naval battle!"

Juvia laughed softly at the claim and shook her head. "The only thing Juvia regrets is not taking out Minerva while she could've to spare Lucy of her pain."

"Yeah, that was hard to watch. At least she's okay and Minerva is reconciling."

Juvia nodded in agreement as she handed him the job post. "Indeed. Here's the post by the way. Is there anything you need to tell Juvia before she heads over to the cabin?" Juvia inquired.

A look of realization came over the guy's face as he remembered just why the water mage was there. "Ah! Yes, sorry! My grandma just wants you to make sure there are no monsters lurking in the lake. She was pretty spooked the last time she went to visit."

Juvia slowly nodded as she processed the information. "Hm. Alright! Juvia will go check and see. It shouldn't take me too long." She smiled kindly but noticed the slight frown and vacant gaze in her company's expression. "Something wrong?"

The guy looked frazzled again as he refocused his attention to the water mage. "Oh my god, I'm sorry. I keep spacing out. I'm just a really big fan…" The young man's face sported a light pink hue that made Juvia laugh awkwardly.

She wasn't used to having such an effect on people. She was aware that sometimes, very popular mages had fans. She knew because Gray has a lot and he often gets visited by these "fans" (more like love rivals). Juvia just never thought that she had the type of history people would fawn over her for. She wouldn't consider her early mage work… respectable.

The only thing Juvia thought to do at the moment was to gently hold his shoulder and say thanks. "Juvia appreciates that you admire her mage work…." She trailed off, hinting that she was asking for his name.

He was stunned at the contact but managed to utter out, "Clayton."

"Well," Juvia breathed out, "it was nice to meet you Clayton, Juvia will be on her way now."

Juvia turned on her heel and was about to head towards the cabin but Clayton quickly grabbed her wrist, shouting, "Wait!"

When she turned around to face him once again, the small blush he wore minutes ago blossomed into a bright red that covered the majority of his face. "Yes?" She asked when she realized he was struggling to speak.

His eyes avoided hers sheepishly as he laughed awkwardly. "W-well, I w-was wondering i-if y-you…." She caught his gaze for a second and it made his breath hitch in his throat.

Juvia raised one brow, urging him to continue. The poor boy looked like he would explode any second.

"Er- um…." Clayton looked down at his feet as he asked, "Are you and that ice mage dating?"

The question sent Juvia into a shocked stupor, her jaw dropping open and closed as if she forgot how to speak. What made him ask such a thing? Were there rumors spreading around? Juvia paled at the thought, she didn't want Gray to think that she was going around talking about their unofficial, developing relationship.

"No…What makes you say that?" She asked curiously.

Her answer seemed to excite him because he perked up right after she spoke the denial. "That's great! Uh- I mean, that's interesting…. It seemed as though you two were lovers when I last saw you guys at the Grand Magic Games. You were declaring your love for him and all that…"

It was now Juvia's turn to blush. The reminder of how bold and dramatic she could be slightly embarrassed her. She really did make her love super obvious, didn't she? This isn't to say she stopped being outlandish in her love declarations, oh no. It's just that it always makes her feel awkward when people outside of the guild bring it up. It's as if she was notorious for her affection towards Gray Fullbuster.

"No… Juvia and Gray are just… friends." It felt wrong to call them 'just friends' but honestly, what other word could fit them if they aren't in a romantic relationship? Juvia didn't want to lie, and she wasn't. Sort of.

Clayton nodded in understanding, a small smile on his face. "I asked because I was wondering if you'd like to...I don't know… hang out? After the mission? There's going to be a big summer festival in a few days and…yeah?"

Juvia remembers overhearing Levy talking to Gajeel about some large festival in a port town that was famous for it's food vendors. She wondered if that was the one Clayton was referring to.

But what was that he said?

_Hang out?_

What? Was he an innocent child in disguise?

The way he worded his proposition sent a light giggle to push passed her lips. It was refreshing to see someone act like this towards her. "Thank you for the offer, Clayton. But Juvia does not think she can. She is a very busy mage after all."

Not hiding his disappointment at all, Clayton sighed deeply. "I understand."

Juvia nodded and was about to leave when Clayton stopped her once again, shoving a toolbox in her hands.

"Here, Joy said you might need these to investigate the lake." He offered, his smile small, but sad. Juvia felt bad. But she couldn't give any man false hope. Her heart belonged to another and Juvia would wait for eternity until his heart belonged to her.

Juvia bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Clayton." His blush returned and he nodded curtly. "Juvia will be on her way now."

/

By the time Juvia reached the cabin, the sun was already passed the horizon and the sky was painted with a brilliant explosion of pink and orange. She was tired, as she should be, yet she was still looking forward to starting a job. Sort of.

The cabin rested in a small clearing in the dense woods and was made entirely out of logs. There was also a cute porch with a two-person swinging chair hanging from it's roof. The fisherman had a row of colorful fishing poles laid neatly against the porch's railing.

It was a quaint home. In a way, it reminded her of the small home her and Gray once shared.

Juvia knocked on the door.

A few minutes later, Juvia heard the sound of metal clattering on the other side and fast approaching footsteps.

A short, yet fit, old woman opened the door, out of breath, with a big smile at the sight of Juvia.

"You must be Julia!"

"Hello! It's actually Juvia, miss."

"Ah, yes. Juliet."

Juvia shook her head. "Juvia… With a 'v'."

The old woman cocked her head to the side and eyed her carefully. "Are you sure?"

Taken aback by the question, Juvia laughed awkwardly. "Uh, yes?"

"Okay… Well! Come on in, Vivian, make yourself at home!"

Deciding the old woman had a hearing problem, Juvia just sighed tiredly and let her call her whatever she wanted. Juvia entered the threshold with a slight drag in her step.

The cabin was… homey. It was tight, filled up with many decorative trinkets and framed photos of family. It also smelled like cinnamon, probably from the candles burning on the shelf, Juvia noted. There were stairs next to the front door that led up to where Juvia assumed the bedrooms were. The kitchen was overwhelmed by pots and pans and the sink was filled with dirty dishes. It made Juvia grimace. Juvia thought about offering to help the old woman clean it up sometime after she finished her investigation.

The old woman gestured to a black leather couch once Juvia finished scanning the room, she eagerly accepted the invitation to sit. The walk to the cabin was not an easy one. There were many thick trees and boulders scattered about that Juvia had to maneuver her way around. By the time she got to the cabin, she was sticky and smelled like sweat. Her aching muscles gladly welcomed the rest.

"Well," Joy sat across from her. "It's nice to finally meet ya! I'm sure you know my name, Joy. Feel free to treat yourself to some juice and biscuits I've laid out on the table."-

Juvia looked at the coffee table between them to the delicious sight of piping hot, flaky biscuits in a pink, clay bowl. Besides the bowl was a wooden tray with two tall glasses of what appeared to be freshly squeezed orange juice. Juvia's stomach rumbled at the sight.

She timidly reached out to take one, feeling conflicted with her first impression of the hospitable, yet odd fisherman.

"It's nice to meet you too. Could you tell Juvia a little bit about what you saw at the lake? Juvia asked before taking a bite.

Joy looked off into the distance as she thought about it. Her lips pursed before she let out a tsk. "I didn't see much because I didn't stay there for long. But the water was a deep, deep blue. Nearly black!"

"What time of day was this?"

"It was the early morning!" Joy exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air, distressed. "That's not normal, isn't it?"

Juvia's eyes widened. That did seem strange. Usually water would get dark at night, not when the sun was out. "Was there anything suspicious along the edges of the lake?"

Joy paused as she fiddled with the ends of her apron. "Well, not really. Although, the lake doesn't have any beach or shore. It just goes straight from water to grass. And because the water is so dark, I can't tell how deep it goes."

Juvia nodded in understanding. It seemed to her that Joy was concerned about what could be in the lake rather than how it got there.

"Juvia can check to see how deep it goes and if there is anything dangerous in the lake. However, it may be difficult for her to figure out where it came from." Juvia replied.

Joy sighed in relief. "Finding out if there's any monsters I should be wary of is all I really care about. I walk pass that lake every morning during my stroll."

"Okay, Juvia will get started on it tomorrow then if that's alright?"

Joy clapped her hands gleefully. "Sounds great, Vivian!"

Juvia's mouth opened to correct her but she decided against it and just sighed, letting the older woman lead her to the room she'd be staying at. It was simple bedroom with a queen-sized bed that had silk white sheets. It looked as soft as a cloud. A light blush spread across Juvia's cheeks at the thought of sharing this bed with Gray if he had came.

Juvia shook the thought from her head. She was beat, and thoughts of her beloved would keep her up all night if she didn't fall asleep now. Besides, she could dream about him instead.

With a content smile, Juvia prepared herself for bed and fell into a blissful sleep, dreaming of the love of her life and how long she was willing to wait for her feelings to be returned. Surely, it would be worth the wait, even if she waited hundreds of years.

/

Thankfully, the walk to the lake wasn't as hard or as long as Juvia expected to be. In fact, it was less than a quarter mile away from the cabin.

The lack of obstacles let Juvia's mind wander easily.

Memories of the jobs she went on Gray while they were still living together crept up on her like a steady, welcomed wave. They had gone on a lot of missions together before Gray's devil slayer mark started acting up. Despite not being affiliated with a guild at the time, they got a lot of work from clients who knew their names from their past with Fairy Tail.

They were great partners. But Juvia and Gray knew that already. It just became so much more prominent when they lived together. Gray was also a great roommate. He was tidy, not rowdy, and caring in every sense of the word.

He probably wouldn't want her to relay these memories to anyone else, so Juvia never did. But in private, she allowed herself to relive the moments where he took care of her when she was injured or sick, tucking her in with _multiple _blankets and bringing her stew that Mira taught him how to make way back when._ It was delicious. _

There was one night where he slept on the ground next to her when she was having frequent coughing fits that alarmed him. She ended up fine in the end, but she really quite enjoyed having him fawn over her.

In private, his affection towards her was overwhelming and on days where Juvia was bold, she'd say that this was around the time that Gray started accepting his feelings.

And then Fairy Tail reunited and they didn't spend every waking moment of everyday together anymore. He was always off with his team again and they never got much private, intimate moment. Juvia sometimes selfishly wishes that they just had a little bit more time in that tiny house.

But the war was over, and Gray promised Juvia an answer that she would look forward to. Yes, she is still waiting for his answer but he said he would give her one and that is more than enough for Juvia.

Although, there is a tiny part of her that wishes he would just hurry up and sort his feelings out already! She would like to believe that they had all the time in the world, but that was not the case. They learned that when they both died for each other on the battlefield.

But beggars can't be choosers, and Juvia understood how much this meant for Gray. She knew of his tragic childhood and Juvia could only imagine what that has done to contribute to his fear of intimacy. Just thinking about Gray when he was a child, losing a parental figure after another made Juvia's heart ache. She privately vowed to herself the night he told her of his past that if he ever allowed her to be a special person in his life, that she would invest all the love she has to offer into him to make up for the love that he lost.

Juvia wished he would let her do that with every ounce of her being.

Just as Juvia was about to check the map that Joy gave her, the sight of a gleaming light in the distant caught her gaze.

Juvia followed it and was surprised to find the lush green grass gradually turn browner as she got closer to the light. The part of the forest she was now in was dry and sparse. There weren't many trees, and if there were, they were dead. It gave Juvia a creepy feeling, but she trekked onwards.

The sight of a black lake a few feet ahead of her stopped her in her tracks. The water was opaque and glistened like liquid obsidian.

_This must be it, _Juvia thought as she cautiously approached the still water.

The only things surrounding the lake were dead leaves and scattered pebbles. It was a complete contrast to the vibrant, lush forest that Juvia had just been traveling through. Suddenly, Juvia found Joy's fear to be not so irrational.

"What happened?" Juvia asked herself as she scoped out the lake, approaching it slowly, unsure if something would just rise up and snatch her from the dark abyss.

Juvia looked at her reflection through the water and was surprised to see that there was none.

"What the-?" Juvia grabbed a branch from the ground and poked the sickly looking water. As Juvia removed the branch, the black liquid dripped from it like a sticky slime.

"That's vile…" Juvia grimaced, throwing the branch off to the side. Was this even water?

_Juvia should check what's inside, _she thought. Her prior belief that nothing could be living in the water still stood. Seriously, what could live in this muck?

Juvia stood in position and readied herself for whatever she might find.

As Juvia's hands formed to lift the water above the ground, a bright light gleamed across the water's surface, blinding her.

She gasped as she looked away, the sound of a big splash causing her to take cover behind a large rock.

Everything happened in the matter of seconds. One moment Juvia was about to cast a spell, the next she was hiding behind a boulder from whatever had appeared in the lake.

She peered behind the boulder, cautiously checking the now disrupted waters. Her heart was in her throat as she panted. The black muck splattered all across the land surrounding the lake, yet there was nothing inside. At least, from what she could see.

Just as she was about to reveal herself from the boulder, another large splash burst through the surface of the icky water. But this time, a hand lurched from the lake, flailing for something to grab onto.

Juvia's eyes widened as she hurriedly tried to save whoever was drowning.

She cast a spell on the water, capturing the person in a bubble. Her movements were rushed as she carefully tried to separate the person from the liquid and set them on the ground.

Her eyes widened as each inch of the body was revealed.

Tan skin, drenched, thick layers of clothing, and a head of recognizable dark, black hair is what Juvia saw before she confirmed who this person was.

_Gray-sama?!_

She lowered him carefully onto a soft pile of leaves and found herself dumbfounded by the sight of her beloved. Not only because he was here, but because he was also wearing a stupid amount of clothes.

Luckily, he was still breathing, but his eyes were closed shut. As if he were afraid to open them.

"Gray-sama!" She hurried to kneel by his side and brushed his wet hair from his face.

He looked so scared, exhausted, and most of all, hurt. Not physically, but mentally and emotionally. She hadn't seen him so distressed since that night she followed him to his parents' grave.

Her right hand cupped his cheek as she tried to offer him all the comfort she could. Her initial shock had to be packed away, all that mattered was letting Gray know he was safe in her arms.

"Come on, Gray-sama. You don't need to be afraid anymore, Juvia is here now." Feeling bold, she laid a soft kiss on his forehead.

Gray peeled open his eyes slowly, scared that he might be hallucinating, or worse: on the other side.

His blurry vision focused in on a head of blue hair and the most loving expression anyone has ever given him.

"J-Juvia-chan?" Gray lurched forward, grabbing Juvia by the shoulders in disbelief. _She saved him? _His heart swelled with happiness.

Juvia's heart beat rapidly against her ribcage as if it were begging to be released. He was so close. And did he just add a suffix to her name?

Gray stared adoringly at her, which caught her by surprise even more. He was never this expressive. Was the water magical?

"What are you doing here? How'd you find me?" Gray asked, still stunned that she went through so much to rescue him from his untimely demise.

Juvia let out a small laugh. "What do you mean? Juvia should be asking you that."

He ignored her comment completely and gushed over how she spoke. "When did you start speaking like that? It's so cute!" Gray embraced her tightly, surprised that she hadn't pushed him away yet.

If it took drowning for Juvia to open herself up to Gray like this, then he would throw himself into every body of water that exists.

"Gray-sama… you're acting different." Juvia managed to utter out, despite being in his super tight grip.

Gray pulled away from her reluctantly, looking at her curiously. "You are too, actually…. Did something happen at the guild?"

"What do you mean, Juvia told you she would be on this mission today. You should be on a mission too…" Juvia trailed off, the pair separating themselves inch by inch as realization suddenly dawned on them.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Are you the real Gray-sama?"

Both of their statements came at the same time, both adding more shock to the already present confusion.

_An impostor? _Juvia's guard rose as she quickly stood to her feet, Gray doing the same.

_Why are they acting so weird? _

Gray, knowing there was a low chance this wasn't his Juvia since strange things didn't happen anymore since Mystogan returned, cautiously approached the guarded woman who had her fists raised.

He tried calming her. "Juvia-chan, I don't know what's going on with you, but you need to relax-"

_Smack!_

"Gray-sama has never called Juvia that way out of all the years he's known her!" Juvia yelled, ready for this supposed shapeshifter to turn into their regular form. "You can't fool Juvia!"

Juvia had been in love with Gray Fullbuster for far too long to be tricked by a measly shapeshifter. It was an insult to her love.

Gray, drenched and confused, got up from the spot he fell on. The black gunk was mostly gone from his clothes, it was as if he had just taken a quick dunk in the pool, fully clothed.

"Huh? Where'd that water come from?" Gray wiped his face with both of his hands, staring at Juvia in complete and utter confusion. She just saved him from drowning, and she was trying to make him drown again?

Juvia readied herself for battle as the shapeshifter approached her once more, struggling with how similar he looked to her dear Gray. Despite knowing this wasn't him, a part of her ached to see her causing him pain. It brought her back to the involuntary fight during the war. It sent chills down her spine.

"Juvia-chan, how are you doing that?!"

"Stop playing with Juvia!" Juvia sent another water attack at the impostor, sending him right into a tree stump.

Juvia strode over to the person who dare try to make a fool of her and take advantage of her affection for Gray. She pointed an accusatory finger at the man groaning in pain and shouted, "You can never fool Juvia. She will always know which Gray-sama is the real one in all of Earthland!"

Just as Gray was about to stand again, all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place at the sound of the word 'Earthland'.

_Why the lake looked different from the one he fell in._

_Why Juvia called him '_Gray-sama'.

_Why Juvia could suddenly manipulate water._

Memories of a Natsu who didn't see him as his best friend flooded his mind and brought him back to a time when magic still existed in Edolas.

It all made sense why everything was different now.

This wasn't his home and that wasn't any ordinary lake.

He was in another dimension.

**/**

_**The scene where Gray Surge and Juvia first meet was so hard to write. I didn't know how I wanted it to play out. Hopefully you guys enjoy it nonetheless.**_

_**I want to hear your predictions about what'll happen next or how you think Gray Surge and Juvia will interact with each other!**_

_**Thank you for being patient with me. I'll try to get out the new chapter before August ends at the very most!**_

_**Follow me on twitter for updates dokiwrites**_

_**Have a great day!**_


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